Alabama center Charles Bediako to test NBA Draft waters, maintain college eligibility

Alabama saw its season crash in the Sweet Sixteen, ending what was a season full of national championship aspirations. Head coach Nate Oats is now moving on, assembling his roster for the 2023-2024 season. A few players have left in favor of the 2023 NBA Draft, with Charles Bediako being the latest to make his decision.

Reports broke Friday that he will test the professional waters. Bediako spent two years with the program as a consistent starter at center for Oats. An Alabama fan favorite, Bediako will be hoping to continue his journey in the NBA and will have a ton of support.

Here was the report of Bediako’s intention to test the draft:

Alabama's Charles Bediako will test the 2023 NBA Draft waters per his NBA + NCAA certified agent, Daniel Green.

The 7'0" 🇨🇦 big man garnered
SEC All-Defense + All-Tourney honors, fueled by his impactful two-way rim presence.

Rim-running lob threat + shot blocker w/ a 40+” vert. pic.twitter.com/hWpyOyqsTn

— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) March 31, 2023

Playing a considerable role for Alabama over the last two years, Bediako’s development has been evident. This past season, he was named an All-SEC defensive player, being the Crimson Tide’s rim protector. An average of six rebounds were brought in a game, nearly split in half between offensive and defensive.

From a scoring perspective, Bediako came out to just under 6.5 points per game. While everyone in Tuscaloosa is looking to shoot from deep, every single point Bediako put up this season was from inside the arc or a free throw.

Where Bediako really broke out was in Nashville, being selected to the All-SEC Tournament team. He scored in double-figures in all three games but the championship against Texas A&M was the peak. Bediako finished with a double-double, putting up 12 points and 13 rebounds. And just for good measure, five blocks were added.

More on the 2023 NBA Draft

The 2023 NBA Draft is set to take place on Thursday, June 22, 2023, in Brooklyn at Barclays Center. Round 1 of the draft will be announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, while Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum is expected to handle the second round of picks.

To be eligible for the NBA Draft, players must be at least 19 years in age during the calendar year that the draft is held and at least one NBA season from their high school graduation date, or the date that would have been if they are not graduated. It is not required that player spend that one year playing college basketball, though. Players can play in either college, abroad, or the G League Ignite if they choose so.

While this is a significant change from what the rules once were, players are eligible to enter their names into the NBA Draft pool and explore their options by hiring an agent to go through the process, while still keeping their college eligibility. The deadline to make that move is on April 23 beginning at 11:59 p.m. ET. Players have until June 12 at 5 p.m. ET to withdraw their name from the pool and return to college.

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held on May 16, which is also the start of the NBA Conference Finals.